>Number: 31113
>Category: lib
>Synopsis: want malloc option like 'A' but allow out-of-memory
>Confidential: no
>Severity: non-critical
>Priority: low
>Responsible: lib-bug-people
>State: open
>Class: change-request
>Submitter-Id: net
>Arrival-Date: Thu Sep 01 00:29:00 +0000 2005
>Originator: Ken Raeburn
>Release: NetBSD 2.0
>Organization:
MIT
>Environment:
System: NetBSD venix.mit.edu 2.0 NetBSD 2.0 (GENERIC) #0: Tue Nov 30 21:04:03 UTC 2004 builds@build:/big/builds/ab/netbsd-2-0-RELEASE/alpha/200411300000Z-obj/big/builds/ab/netbsd-2-0-RELEASE/src/sys/arch/alpha/compile/GENERIC alpha
Architecture: alpha
Machine: alpha
>Description:
In lib/31112 I described how some programs, including apparently some
system programs, are written to handle running out of memory cleanly
(running a garbage collector, reducing cache, whatever), and may even
expect to run out of memory in normal operation. Because of these
programs, 'A' is inappropriate for a system-wide malloc option a la
/etc/malloc.conf.
However, an option like 'A' that does not consider running out of
memory to be an error would probably be just fine for system-wide use.
>How-To-Repeat:
N/A
>Fix:
pick a new letter, add a new flag in malloc.c, etc